Container carrier



Sept. 5, 1967 G. E. STRUBLE CONTAINER CARRIER 1O Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 025, 1964 INVENTOR GLENN E. STRUBLE BY ILL/BBL cur/.006

ATTORNEY P 5. 1967 G. E. STRUBLE 3,339,796

CONTAINER CARRIER Filed Oct. 25, 1964 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 H/IZS INVENTOR FI34 I36 v l9l GLENN E. STRUBLE 15 BY Hem @[Lacm ATTORNEY p 5, 1967 cs.E. STRUBLE CONTAI NER CARRIER l0 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 23, 1964INVENTOR GLENN E. STRUBLE BY K9 21.

ATTORNEY 3 Filed Oct. 23, 1964 p 5, 1967 G. r-: STRU'BLE 3,339,796

CONTAINER CARRIER 1O Sheets-Sheet 4 NVENTOR GLENN E. STRUBLE BY KHRLOC/(S ATTORNEY Sept. 5; 1967 e. E. STRUBLE 3,339,796

CONTAINER CARRIER Filed Oct. 25, 1964 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR GLENNE. STRUBLE ATTORNEY pt. 5, 1967 G. E. S TRUBLE 3,339,796

' CONTAINER CARRIER Filed Oct. 23, 1964 l0 Sheets-Sheet 6 Q .3 .L r 3 Ii f 1 1 330 330 330 3 fi' I 1. a l I 'INVEN'FOR FIG. /4 333 333 GLENN E.STRUBLE .1 BY ILL/REL CU LDC (5 ATTORNEY p 5, 1957 G., E. STRUBLECONTAINER CARRIER .10 Sheets-sheaf. 7

Filed Oct. 23, 1964 F l6. l7

INVENTOR GLENN E. STRUBLE BY MW; 60-7 006 ATTORNEY P 5, 1967 G. E.STRUBLE 3,339,796

CONTAINER CARRIER Filed Oct. 23, 1964 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 FIG. 19

INVENTOR 431 GLENN E. STRUBLE BY hfm FITOCKS' ATTORNEY Sept. 5, 1967 medOct. 25, 1964 G E. STRUBLE CONTAINER CARRIER 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTORGLENN E. STRUBLE ATTORNEY Sept. 5, 1967 G. E STRUBLE CONTAINER CARRIERl0 Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed Oct. 23, 1964 INVENTOR GLENN E. STRUBLE n w.FEocKs ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,339,796 CONTAINER CARRIER GlennE. Struble, Hamilton, Ohio, assignor to Diamond InternationalCorporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 23, 1964, Ser. No.406,000 26 Claims. (Cl. 220117) The present invention relates to acarrier for bottles or cans and has particular reference to an improvedcombination of plastic, aluminum, or material similar to either andpaperboard carrier.

Accordingly the present invention is directed to providing an economicalre-useable carrier with replaceable advertising bottom section for softdrink and beer indnstries.

The invention seeks to provide a novel carrier which is a combination ofplastic, aluminum or some similar material and paperboard. This allowsthe plastic-like or metal portion to be a one-time purchase and theinexpensive paperboard portion to be replaceable.

With the combination of the present invention manufacturers can buildinto the plastic, aluminum or similar material top portion all thestrength which is required in the handle and separator cell areas anduse the paperboard for pictorial and advertising copy.

The all cardboard carrier which is generally used at present may bere-used for approximately four trips and then is usually discardedbecause of its soile'd appearance necessitating the purchase of acompletely new carrier. With the combination carrier of the presentinvention only the cardboard or paperboard portion must be repurchasedwith great savings to the soft drink and beer companies.

Basically the carrier of the present invention involves the concept ofjoining a permanent more expensive plasticlike or metal handle andseparator portions to an inexpensive replaceable cardboard or paperboardbottom or supporting portion to create a versatile economical carrier.Replacement of the paperboard portion also allows periodic change in theadvertising matter thereon.

With the new arrangement it is possible to replace the paperboardsection without any necessity of tearing apart of glued portions or ofthe use of any gluing machines in assembling the new cardboard portionto the plastic-like or metal portion allowing the use of a much lessexpensive assembling machine.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent upon full consideration of the following detailed descriptionand accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the carrier of the present invention inan embodiment made to hold six containers;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of only the handle and horizontal separatorsection from FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are a front elevation and side elevation respectively ofthe handle and horizontal separator section of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a cross section along lines 55 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a view of the paperboard supporting means of the carrier shownin FIG. 1 with a fold taken in said paperboard section;

FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view showing final stages in the foldingof the paperboard section of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the carrier of thepresent invention, also used to carry six containers;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the handle and horizontal separator sectionof the carrier shown in FIG. 8;

FIGS. 1-0 and 11 are a front elevation and side elevation respectivelyof the handle and horizontal separator section shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a cross section view along lines 1212 in the perspective viewof FIG. 8;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the carrier ofthe present invention which is used for carrying eight containers;

FIG. 14 is a top plan view of the handle and horizontal separatorsection of the embodiment shown in FIG. 13;

FIGS. 15 and 16 are a front elevation and side elevation respectively ofthe handle and horizontal separator section of FIG. 14;

FIG. 17 is a cross section view along lines 1717 in FIG. 13;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the carrier ofthe present invention which is used for carrying six containers;

FIG. 19 is a top plan view of the handle and horizontal separatorsection of FIG. 18;

FIGS. 20 and 21 are a front elevation and side elevation respectively ofthe handle and horizontal separator section of FIG. 19;

FIG. 22 is a side elevation of stacked handle and horizontal separatorsections of the type illustrated in the third embodiment; and

FIG. 23 is a side elevation of stacked handle and horizontal separatorsections of the type illustrated in the fourth embodiment.

One embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1-7 bythe combination carrier shown therein. This combination carrier consistsof a plastic, or a similar material, or aluminum or similar metallicmaterial, handle 111 and horizontal separator section which will haveattached thereto a paperboard supporting means 150 forming the sides andbottom of carrier 100.

The handle 111 and horizontal separator section 110 is shown in detailin FIGS. 1-4. It consists of a handle 111 having a gripping portion 113at its upper end. Gripping portion 113 has an opening through which thefingers of the hand are extended around, grasping the wide lip 115across the top of the opening. A center portion 116 vertically acrossthe opening of the gripping portion 113 may be formed in the handle tostrengthen it. Gripping portion 113 is attached to a center cross bar117 extending between end bars 121 while passing through transverse bars123 of horizontal separator section 110, by means of handle pedestalportion 126.

Cross bar 117, besides furnishing points of connection for handle 111also forms, in combination with end bars 121 and transverse bars 123cell dividers to hold the containers in the container carrier inseparate cells out of contact with each other, thus safeguarding thesecontainers, especially bottles, against damage. Although not necessaryto this invention, the corners formed by intersecting bars may berounded as shown.

Connecting the ends of end bars 121 with adjacent ends of transversebars 123 are locking means by which connection is made with thepaperboard supporting means 150.

Paperboard supporting means 150, as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, is apreferred form that may be used with the horizontal separator section110. Paperboard supporting means consists of a bottom panel 151 to whichare attached front and rear panels 152 and 153, respectively, by scorelines 154 and 155, respectively. Side flaps 156 and 157 are attachedbyscore lines 158 and 159, respectively, to the sides of front panel 152.In a like manner side flaps 160 and 161 are attached by score lines 162and 163, respectively, to rear panel 153. Side panels 164 and 165 areattached by score lines 166 and 167, respectively, to bottom panel 151.Triangular section 171 is located between side panel 164 and side flap156 separated therefrom by score lines 172 and 173, respectively.Triangular sections 174, 175 and 176 are similarly located between sideflaps and side panels and separated therefrom by score lines as shown inFIG. 6. A single continuous score line of line lengths, 177, 178 and 179separates lip 181 from triangular section 176, side panel 164 andtriangular section 171, respectively. In a similar manner lip 182 isseparated from triangular section 175, side panel 165 and triangularsection 174 by a score line of line lengths 183, 184 and 185. Holes inbottom panel 151 are for use with assemblying machinery. Side flaps 156,157, 160 and 161 have glue placed on the inside surface thereof or onthe adjacent surfaces of the front panel 152 and rear panel 153 whichthey would contact when folded along score lines connecting them tothese panels. Lips 181 and 182 in a similar manner have glue on theirinside surfaces or surface which would be adjacent thereto afterfolding. If a straight line gluing machine is preferred to perform thisgluing operation, then a straight strip of glue covering the outer edgesof side flaps in line with lips 181 and 182 and the inside surfaces ofthose lips, before fold over, will suffice to glue together thenecessary parts as described above but with the use of less complicatedgluing machinery. FIG. 6 in its lower portion illustrates the fold overof lip 182 which is followed by the fold over of side flaps and sidepanel after application of glue to those side flaps or surfaces adjacentthereto. Lip 181, side flaps 156 and 160, and side panel 164 would befolded in a similar manner on their score lines 177-178-179, 158, 166and 162 after the application of glue thereto. On the outside edge offront panel 152 and rear panel 153 are located paperboard locking tabs190. All of the locking tabs 190 are similar to each other and eachconsists of an end tab 191 separated by score line 192 from connectingsection 193 which is attached but separated from opposite ends of rearand front panels 152 and 153 by score lines 194.

After glue has been applied to the lips, side flaps, and the lips, sideflap, and side panel sections have been folded on their respective scorelines to overlie front, rear and bottom panels 152, 153 and 151,respectively, the paperboard supporting means 150 are in the form whichthey may be shipped to bottlers with no additional gluing necessary. Itis, of course, more convenient to place printed matter on the outsidesurface of the paperboard before application of glue and folding oflips, side flaps, and side panels and this is the usual manner of doingthis printing. The handles and horizontal separator sections are shippedto the bottling plants in stacked relationship as discussed later inconnection with FIGS. 22 and 23.

FIG. 7 illustrates a half section of paperboard supporting means 150 aserected and preparatory to connection with horizontal separator section110. Although the vertical panel illustrated in FIG. 7 is designated asfront panel 152, this also illustrates positioning of rear panel 153since the paperboard supporting means 150 is symmetrical in regard toopposite sides and front to rear as is the horizontal separator section110. Paperboard supporting means 150 may be erected by pivoting frontpanel 152 and rear panel 153 upwardly about score lines 154 and 155,respectively, to form an angle of approximately 90 with bottom panel151. It will then be noted that side panels 164 and 165 are therebycaused to pivot outwardly until they too form approximately 90 angleswith bottom panel 131. This also causes triangular sections 171, 174,175 and 176 to pivot upwardly until they are held pressed against theadjacent side flaps glued to the front and rear panels respectively.Connection is then made by one of each of paperboard locking tabs 190 toeach of locking means 130 thereby connecting paperboard supporting means150 to horizontal separator section 110 and handle 111. This connectingand locking process is accomplished by taking a locking tab 190 andfolding end tab 191 inwardly and over connecting section 193 on scoreline 192 as illustrated in FIG. 7. The entire locking tab 190 is thenfolded inwardly again along its score line 194. Notches 195 having a Vshape with their apices at opposite ends of score line 192 are found onopposite sides of each locking tab 190 to facilitate entry of these tabsinto locking means 130.

As shown in the enlarged section view of FIG. 5, the locking tab 190 isbent over the outer wall formed by connecting bar 131 of locking meansand inserted in between this outer wall and an inner Wall 134 of thelocking means. Inner wall 134 is formed from a perpendicular extensionnear the ends of end and transverse bars. As illustrated, it is notnecessary for the extensions to meet each other. To facilitate the entryof locking tab 190, inner wall 134 has a tapering portion 135 slopingdownwardly toward outer wall 131. A notched portion 136 on the insidesurface of outer wall 131 extending to the bottom of that wall receivesend tab 191 and prevents the withdrawal of locking tab 190 from lockingmeans 130. The weight of bottles in the paperboard supporting meanscauses a downward force on this section and tends to tighten the lockingtabs in their respective locking means 130 of the horizontal separatorsection 110. As can be seen in the embodiment illustrated, thisattachment of paperboard supporting means 150 to horizontal separatorsection 110 does not require any gluing operation and may be done at thebottling plant, or may be done elsewhere without the use of specialmachinery if performed by hand, wherever additional combination carriersmay be required, such as at the retail outlets.

Similar parts of the container carrier illustrated in other embodimentsof this carrier are numbered with the same number but in a differenthundred series. It should also be noted that all embodiments aresubstantially symmetrical from front to back and side to side.

A second embodiment of a six container carrier of the present inventionis illustrated in FIGURES 8-12. This embodiment, illustrated by carrier200, differs from the previously illustrated embodiment in certainrespects. The horizontal separator section 210 has a handle 212 whichhas a wide lip 215 but with a gripping portion 214 which extends down toa cross bar 218 without the use of any intermediate handle pedestalportion. This cross bar 218 is attached to end bars 221 without anytransverse bars interrupting its continuity. An additional locking means230 is located on both the front, and rear of horizontal separatorsection 210 between locking means 230 located as in the previousembodiment and separated therefrom by separator segments 227. Thesesomewhat triangular shaped separator segments 227 are used to separateand keep separate the containers in the carrier and also provide theextensions to form inner walls 234 for locking means 230 where theseinner walls were formed by extensions on the transverse bars in theprevious embodiment. Paperboard supporting means 250 is similar in allrespects to paperboard supporting means 150 except for the addition ofmore cardboard locking tabs 290 in the front and rear, spaced betweenlocking tabs found in the previous embodiment, in positions to lock inthe center locking means 230 in front and rear respectively. Lockingmeans 230 in horizontal separator section 210 are similar to those inthe previous embodiment as is shown in the enlarged view of lockingmeans 230 in FIG. 12.

Another embodiment of the container carrier designated as carrier 300and with parts numbered in the 300 series is illustrated in FIGS. 13-17.This carrier is made for the purpose of carrying eight bottles or cansand combines features of both of the previous embodiments. The handle312 is similar in construction to handle 212 with differences therefrommostly of an ornamental nature and the optional omission of the wide lipon the gripping portion. The sections formed from end bars 321 andtransverse bars 324 on each side of horizontal separator section 310appear similar to those sections in the first embodiment illustratingcarrier 100 except that they would appear to have been moved furtherapart and had separator segments 327, similar to separator segments 227in carrier 200, placed along the front edge between transverse bars 324,with a similar separator segment 327 placed along the rear edge betweenthe same transverse bars 324. Also transverse bars 324 haveperpendicular extensions on their ends extending toward separatorsegments 327 to form the inner walls of locking means 330 in cooperationwith extensions on segments 327. This structure allows the placement offour locking means 330 for attachment of the front panel of paperboardsupporting means 350 and four locking means 330 for attachment of therear panel of paperboard supporting means 350. Paperboard supportingmeans 350 diflfers from means 150 and 250 of the previous embodimentsonly in the number of locking tabs along front and rear panel edges. Inthis embodiment there are four locking tabs 390 along each edge of frontand rear panels 352 and 353 respectively to correspond with the fourlocking means 330 on each of the front and rear parts of horizontalseparator section 310. As illustrated in FIG. 17, the same type oflocking section is used in the horizontal separator section of thisembodiment as previously described.

A fourth embodiment which is a variation of the first embodiment forholding six containers is illustrated in FIGS. 18-21.

The handle 411 is attached to cross bar 417 which is connected at themidpoints of end bars 421 and intersected by transverse bars 425. It isin the construction of the end portion of the transverse bars and theirconnection to connecting bars 437 in which the ditference betweenhorizontal separator sections 110 and 410 is ap parent.

In this embodiment, connecting bars 437 are connected to end bars 421 aspreviously described but their connection to transverse bars 425 is madeto the perpendicular extension 428 on transverse bar 425 thereby forminga slot 429 between extension 428 and an end portion of connecting bar437 extending beyond its connecting point with the extension 428.

The paperboard supporting means 450 used with horizontal separatorsection 410 uses three locking tabs in the front and three in the rearto attach paperboard supporting means 450 to horizontal separatorsection 410 but because of the variation in construction of horizontalseparator section 410 the center locking tab 496 extends beyond theconfines of the center cell :bounded by transverse bars 425 andtherefore is larger than locking tabs 497 on either side. Although thereis this variation in size of locking tabs in this embodiment their shapeand the method of attachment remains the same as described previously.

The cardboard sections may be shipped to the bottling and assemblyplants after gluing of the side flaps in a fiattened condition, but themost economical and convenient way for shipping of the handle andhorizontal separator sections made of a plastic or similar material, orif made of metal such as aluminum or similar material, is by placingthem in stacked relation to each other. FIG. 22 illustrates the nestingof thesesections formed with handles thereon as illustrated in the thirdembodiment described in connection with FIGS. 1346. If slight lateraldisplacement due to lip width on the handle gripping portion is takeninto account, this same form of stacking may be done with the secondembodiment illustrated in FIGS. 8-11. Because of the elimination of thetransverse bars in the second embodiment, FIGS. '8-11, or the additionalspacing between the transverse bars in the third embodiment, FIGS.13-16, the handle and horizontal separator sections of carriers 200 and300 are not limited in the number of such sections which may be stacked.

vWhen the handle and horizontal separator sections of carriers 100 or400 are stacked, this must be done as illustrated in FIG. 23 if nolimitation is to be placed on the number of such sections which may bestacked. If stacked as in FIG. 22, then because of the extension ofgripping portion 413 beyond the confines of transverse bars 425, thenumber of such handle 111 or 411 and horizontal separator sections or410 which may be stacked is limited to approximately five such sectionsdepending on handle size and horizontal separator section thickness. Butthese same handle and horizontal separator sections, when placed at anangle to a common plane 40 with the points of their lowest edgestouching that plane, may be stacked in unlimited numbers. The angle ofthe horizontal separator sections with common plane 40 must be such thatevery fifth handle 111 or 411 must be even with or forward of theconnecting bars 131 or 437 when relative sizes of handle size andhorizontal separator thickness are as discussed.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made without departing from the scope of the invention and thereforethe invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawings anddescribed in the specification but only as indicated in the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. container carrier comprising a separator section including a pair ofend bars forming opposite edges of said separator section,

a cross bar connecting substantially the midpoints of said end bars,

locking means located along edges perpendicular to said end bars,

a handle extending above and attached to said cross bar,

and a paperboard supporting means having locking tabs extending fromsaid paperboard supporting means and bent inward to connect with saidlocking means.

2. The container carrier of claim 1, further charac terized bytransverse bars intersecting said cross bar and parallel to said endbars.

3. The container carrier of claim 2, further characterized by saidhandle including a gripping portion extending in the plane of said crossbar further than the distance between two of said transverse barsintersecting said cross bar closest to its center,

and a pedestal attaching said gripping portion to said cross bar.

4. The container carrier of claim 3, further characterized by saidgripping portion having an opening through which the fingers areinserted and a lip of greater thickness than the remainder of saidhandle lining the top edge of the opening in said gripping portion.

5. A container carrier comprising a separator section,

a pair of end bars forming opposite edges of said separator section, across bar connecting to substantially the midpoints of said end bars,transverse bars intersecting said cross bar and parallel to said endbars, locking means located along edges perpendicular to said end barsincluding an outer wall connecting adjacent ends of said end bars tosaid transverse bars,

an inner wall defined by extensions near the adjacent ends of said endand transverse bars, perpendicular to said bars and jutting toward eachother,

a notch in the surface of the outerwall facing the adjacent surface ofthe inner wall and extending to the bottom of said outer wall,

and a paperboard supporting means hanging from said separator sectionincluding a bottom panel, front and rear panels attached to said bottompanels substantially at right angles to said bottom panel, side panelsattached at opposite edges of said bottom panel, side flaps attached atopposite sides of said front and rear panels, triangular sectionsconnecting each of said side flaps to a side panel, and locking tabsattached at opposite ends of said paperboard supporting means includingconnecting sections attached to said front and rear panels, and an endtab attached to each of said connecting sections, the width of saidconnecting sections measured from the connection with said front andrear panels to the connection with its end tab being greater than thewidth of said end tab measured from its connection with said connectingsection attached thereto and its opposite, parallel edge. 6. A containercarrier comprising a separator section,

a pair of end bars forming opposite edges of said separator section, across bar conecting substantially the midpoints of said end bars,locking means located along edges perpendicular to said end bars,connecting bars connecting the ends of said end bars and forming theouter walls of said locking means, extensions near the ends of said endbars perpendicular to said bars and defining a portion of the innerwalls of said locking means, separator segments attached to saidconnecting bars with extensions parallel to said connecting bars anddefining additional portions of the inner walls of said locking means,notches on the surfaces of said connecting bars facing toward the innerwall and extending to the bottom of said connecting bars, and apaperboard supporting means hanging from said separator sectionincluding a portion panel, front and rear panels attached to said bottompanels substantially at right angles to said bottom panel, side panelsattached at opposite edges of said bottom panel, side flaps attached atopposite sides of said front and rear panels, triangular sectionsconnecting each of said side flaps to a side panel, and locking tabsattached at opposite ends of said paperboard supporting means includingconnecting sections attached to said front and rear panels, and an endtab attached to each of said connecting sections, the Width of saidconnecting sections measured from the connection with said front andrear panels to the connection with its end tab being greater than thewidth of said end tab measured from its connection with said connectingsection attached thereto and its opposite, parallel edge. 7. A containercarrier comprising a separator section,

a pair of end bars forming opposite edges of said separator section,

a cross bar connecting to substantially the midpoints of said end bars,

transverse bars intersecting said cross bar and parallel to said endbars,

connecting bars connecting the ends of said end bars and intersectingthe ends of said transverse bars adjacent to those ends,

separator segments attached to said connecting bars at a point betweentheir intersections with said transverse bars,

locking means located along said connecting bars,

said connecting bars forming the outer walls of said locking means,

extensions near the ends of said end bars and said transverse barsperpendicular to said bars and defining a portion of the inner Walls ofsaid locking means,

extensions on said separator segments parallel to said connecting barsdefining additional portions of the inner walls of said locking means,

notches on the surfaces of said connecting bars facing toward the innerwalls and extending to the bottom of said connecting bars,

and paperboard supporting means hanging from said separator sectionincluding a bottom panel, front and rear panels attached to said bottompanels substantially at right angles to said bottom panel, side panelsattached at opposite edges of said bottom panel, side flaps attached atopposite sides of said front and rear panels, triangular sectionsconnecting each of said side flaps to a side panel, and locking tabsattached at opposite ends of said paperboard supporting means includingconnecting sections attached to said front and rear panels, and an endtab attached to each of said connecting sections, the width of saidconnecting sections measured from the connection with said front andrear panels to the connection with its end tab being greater than thewidth of said end tab measured from its connection with said connectingsection attached thereto and its opposite, parallel edge.

8. A container carrier comprising a separator section,

a handle attached to said separator section,

and paperboard supporting means hanging from said separator section bythe opposite ends of said paperboard supporting means,

said paperboard supporting means having locking tabs extending fromopposite ends of said paperboard supporting means and bent over an edgeof said separator section to form overhang ing connections with saidseparator section,

a plurality of locking means located along opposite sides of saidseparator section in adjacent relationship to said locking tabs whensaid paperboard supporting means is in erected position,

said locking means including an outer wall and an inner wall,

and a notch in one of said walls extending to the bottom thereof on thesurface adjacent and facing said other wall.

9. The container carrier of claim 8, further characterized by said notchin one of the walls of said locking means being located on the surfaceof the outer wall facing the adjacent surface of the inner wall,

and said inner wall having a tapered portion at its top with the surfaceadjacent said outer wall sloping downward toward said outer wall. 10.The container carrier of claim 9, further characterized by said lockingtabs including a connecting section being part of and attached to theremainder of said paperboard supporting means at a score line, and anend tab attached to said connecting section at a score line, the widthof said end tab measured from its score line to the parallel edge beingless than the width of said connecting section measured between its twoparallel score lines. 11. A rigid support for -a container carriercomprising a separator section, a handle attached to said separatorsection, a plurality of locking means located along opposite sides ofsaid separator section including an outer wall and an inner wall, and anotch in one of said walls extending to the bottom thereof on thesurface adjacent and facing said other wall. 12. The rigid support for acontainer carrier of claim 11, further characterized by said notch inone of the walls of said locking means being loacted on the surface ofthe outer wall facing the adjacent surface of the inner wall, and aidinner wall having a tapered portion at its top with the surface adjacentsaid outer wall sloping downward toward said outer wall. 13. A containercarrier comprising a separator section, a handle attached to saidseparator section, and paperboard supporting means hanging from saidseparator section including a bottom panel, front and rear panelsattached to said bottom panels substantially at right angles to saidbottom panel, side panels attached at opposite edges of said bottompanel, locking tabs attached at opposite ends of said paperboardsupporting .means along the edges of said front and rear panels, sideflaps attached at opposite ides of said front and rear panels anadhesive material on the inside surface of said side flaps on thesurfaces which contact said front and rear panels, and triangularsections connecting each of said side flaps to a side panel, saidlocking tabs including connecting sections attached to said front andrear panels, and an end tab attached to each of said connectingsections, the width of said connecting sections measured from theconnection with said front and rear panels to the connection with itsend tab being greater than the width of said end tab measured from itsconnection with said connecting section attached thereto and itsopposite, parallel edge. 14. The container carrier of claim 13, furthercharacterized by said locking tabs having oppositely placed V shapednotches with their apices located at the connection between said end taband said connection section. 15. A container carrier comprising I aseparator section including a pair of end bars forming opposite edges ofsaid separator section, a cross bar connecting substantially themidpoints of said end bars,

transverse bars intersecting said cross bar and parallel to said endbars, 'locking means located along edges perpendicular to said end barsincluding an outer wall connecting adjacent ends of said end bars tosaid transverse bars, an inner wall formed by extensions near theadjacent ends of said end and transverse bars, perpendicular to saidbars and jutting toward each other, a handle attached to said cross bar,and a paperboard supporting means having locking tabs extending fromsaid paperboard supporting means and bent inward to connect with saidlocking means. 16. The container carrier of claim 15, furthercharacterized by said locking means including a notch in the surface ofthe outer wall facing the adjacent surface of the inner wall andextending to the bottom of said outer wall. 17. A rigid support for acontainer carrier comprising a separator section including a pair of endbars forming opposite edges of said separator section, a cross barconnecting substantially the midpoints of said end bars, transverse barsintersecting said cross bar and parallel to said end bars, locking meanslocated along edges perpendicular to said end bars including an outerwall connecting adjacent ends of said end bars to said transverse bars,an inner wall formed by extensions near the adjacent ends of said endand transverse bars, perpendicular to said bars and jutting toward eachother, and a handle attached to said cross bar. 18. The rigid supportfor a container of claim 17, further characterized by said locking meansincluding a notch in the surface of the outer wall facing the adjacentsurface of the inner wall and extending to the bottom of said outerwall. 19. A container carrier comprising a separator section including apair of end bars forming opposite edges of said separator section, across bar connecting substantially the midpoints of said end bars,connecting bars connecting the ends of said end bars, locking meanlocated along edges perpendicular to said end bars having outer andinner walls with said outer walls formed by said connecting bars, and ahandle attached to said cross bar, and a paperboard supporting meanshaving locking tabs extending from said paperboard supporting means andfolded over said outer walls to connect with said locking means. 20. Thecontainer carrier of claim 19, further characterized by extensions nearthe ends of said end bars perpendicular to said bars and defining aportion of the inner walls of said locking means, and separator segmentsattached to said connecting bars with extensions parallel to saidconnecting bars and defining additional portions of the inner walls ofsaid locking means.

21. A rigid support for a container carrier comprising connecting barsconnecting the ends of said end bars, locking means located along edgesperpendicular to said end bars having outer and inner walls with saidouter walls formed by said connecting bars, extensions near the ends ofsaid end bars perpendicular to said bars and defining a portion of theinner walls of said locking means, and separator segments attached tosaid connecting bars with extensions parallel to said connecting barsand defining additional portions of the inner walls of said lockingmeans, and a handle attached to said cross bar. 22. A container carriercomprising a separator section including a pair of end bars formingopposite edges of said separator section, a cross bar connectingsubstantially the midpoints of said end bars, transverse barsintersecting said cross bar and parallel to said end bars, connectingbars connecting the ends of said end bars and intersecting the ends ofsaid transverse bars adjacent to those ends, and separator segmentsattached to said connecting bars at a point between their intersectionswith said transverse bars, locking means located along edgesperpendicular to said end bars, a handle attached to said cross bar, anda paperboard supporting means having locking tabs extending from saidpaperboard supporting means and bent inward to connect with said lockingmeans. 23. A container carrier comprising a separator section includinga pair of end bars forming opposite edges of said separator section, across bar connecting substantially the midpoints of said end bars,connecting bars connecting the ends of said end bars, locking meanslocated along edges perpendicular to said end bars having outer andinner walls with said outer walls formed by said connecting bars,extensions near the ends of said end bars and said transverse barsperpendicular to said bars and defining a portion of the inner walls ofsaid locking means, extensions on said separator segments parallel tosaid connecting bars defining additional portions of the inner walls ofsaid locking means, a handle attached to said cross bar, and apaperboard supporting means having locking tabs extending from saidpaperboard supporting means and bent inward to connect with said lockingmeans. 24. A nigid support for a container carrier comprising aseparator section including a pair of end bars forming opposite edges ofsaid separator section, a cross bar connecting substantially themidpoints of said end bars,

connecting bars connecting the ends of said end bar,

locking means located along edges perpendicular to said end bars havingouter and inner walls with said outer walls formed by said connectingbars,

extensions near the ends of said end bars and said transverse barsperpendicular to said bars and defining a portion of the inner walls ofsaid locking means,

extensions on said separator segments parallel to said connecting barsdefining additional portions of the inner walls of said locking means,

and a handle attached to said separator section.

25. A stack of a plurality of articles,

each article comprising a cross bar,

end bars attached to opposite ends of said cross bar,

transverse bars spaced from each other in parallel relationship to saidend bars and intersecting said cross bar,

a handle attached to said cross bar and parallel therewith having anupper portion extending beyond the confines of said transverse bars anda lower portion within the confines of said transverse bars,

and connecting bars between outer ends of said end bars and saidtransverse bars;

said stack comprising .each said article in said stack resting upon thearticle therebelow,

each said article laterally displaced from each other article with saidlateral displacement of said articles so spaced with respect to oneanother so as to eliminate interference bewteen said connecting bars andsaid upper portion of said handle,

said articles placed at a common angle of inclination to a common planewith the lowest point on each article within the common plane.

26. The stack of a plurality of articles of claim 25,

further characterized by said handle being co-planar with said crossbar.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 991,052 5/1911 Draper 229-311,559,695 11/1925 'I-Iatch 220-117 2,179,981 11/1939 Mooter et a1220-117 2,373,730 4/1945 Williamson et a1. 229-31 2,398,155 4/1946 Platt229-31 2,565,683 8/ 195 1 Guyer 229-52 2,630,263 3/ 1953 Ringler 229-312,665,049 1/1954 George 220-104 2,714,483 8/ 1-955 Randles 229-313,045,862 7/ 1962 De Chelbor 220-102 FOREIGN PATENTS 792,826 4/ 1958Great Britain.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner,

1. A CONTAINER CARRIER COMPRISING A SEPARATOR SECTION INCLUDING A PAIROF END BARS FORMING OPPOSITE EDGES OF SAID SEPARATOR SECTION, A CROSSBAR CONNECTING SUBSTANTIALLY THE MIDPOINTS OF SAID END BARS, LOCKINGMEANS LOCATED ALONG EDGES PERPENDICULAR TO SAID END BARS, A HANDLEEXTENDING ABOVE AND ATTACHED TO SAID CROSS BAR, AND A PAPERBOARDSUPPORTING MEANS HAVING LOCKING TABS EXTENDING FROM SAID PAPERBOARDSUPPORTING MEANS AND BENT INWARD TO CONNECT WITH SAID LOCKING MEANS.